Rainy days are my favorite. Growing up in Ohio, sometimes it would rain for weeks on end with not a hint of sunshine in sight. It was easy to be convinced that I lived in some well-known rainy place like London or Seattle, but no: just good old Ohio. Fickle and problematic weather since 1803. Since moving to New York City, the rainy days have been few and far between which makes my heart ache for my favorite comforting days back home. When rain is in the forecast for the week, all of my coworkers groan but I secretly give a little inner cheer. It's a time for warm drinks under colorful umbrellas. Splashing in puddles while briskly walking towards a destination, or sitting inside to watch the steady downpour. When talking rainy day comfort, it's impossible not to touch on rainy day attire. It can come in many forms. A laid back effortlessness in a chunky knit cardigan, thick leggings, knee high socks, and rain slickers. A sophisticated city-chic with a neutral trench coat, protective turtleneck, black slacks, and a chelsea boots. I wanted to make this outfit a combination of the two styles: fashion forward, but also comfy and utilitarian as well. I loved this day and I loved this outfit. Already planning outfits for the next rainy day New York blesses me with...

It's a difficult day for Americans. Regardless of election outcome, the votes show a heartbreaking reality: we are divided. The popular votes were split nearly 50/50 for our two significant candidates. We cannot decide. We do not know the right answer. No matter what side we pick, many of us still feel sinking in our hearts because none of this feels right. A nation that is based on the principle of unity and oneness has become so segregated in defining what it means to be an American. How did we get here? How did we let vile hatred run rampant on ALL sides...?

I'm scared. I'm tired. And for those who don't think that feeling scared and tired is a worthwhile response to last night: then you're the problem. Put aside the red or blue lens over your vision and see this election for what it is: a disappointment.

I will stand with this country in its current state of unrest. I will dedicate myself to always strive in making it greater. Not with big, flashy shows of grandeur, but by little, powerful steps. I will give encouraging smiles to those who frown. I will cheer on my LBGTQ+ friends to love who they want. I will put my extra dollar into the hands of the hungry man on the street. I will be someone who lends time to listen to anyone's story, anyone's problem, anyone's heartbreak. I will support my fellow women. I will stand up for people of color and use my privileged voice to speak when they are not given the chance. I will interject conversations of hatred and bigotry, and remind that love is far more powerful. I will not give in to the darkness and evil that has been pulled out from the pits of this nation. I will remain hopeful.

Don't be mad if your family voted for Trump. Don't be mad if your friends voted for Hillary. Dividing ourselves will not bring us closer to becoming the nation generations before us dreamed of: the nation that we all still dream of. Unite together in solidarity, to fight for a better America than the one we've known.

"if we stand together and work together with respect for our differences, strengthen our convictions, and love for this nation, our best days are still ahead of us. Because, you know, I believe we are stronger together and we will go forward together. And you should never, ever regret fighting for that. - Hillary Clinton

"Now its time for America to bind the wounds of division. We have to get together. To all Republicans and Democrats and Independents across the nation, I say it is time for us to come together as one united people. It's time." -Donald Trump

Still posting photos from when I was home in Ohio nearly a month ago...these make my heart hurt. I had such a lovely time visiting home, and I won't be going home for Thanksgiving. It was my choice, but that still doesn't make the reality any easier. Living hours away from home makes difficult and expensive to fly/drive/ride home for every holiday...I don't have the money, or the vacation time. Instead of splitting my days up between Thanksgiving and Christmas, I decided it would be better to just lump it all together to have a nice, longer Christmas with my family. This won't be the first time I'm missing Thanksgiving with them. When I studied abroad in Italy two years back I also missed it, but it made being reunited for Christmas all the much sweeter.

Although I am very bummed to be missing the holiday with them, I am excited and looking forward to starting new holiday traditions for my life here in New York City. I'm attending the Macy's Day Parade for the first time! It's all I can think about lately. I grew up watching it on TV while the kitchen filled with smells of my dad's cooking...it's so wonderful I'll get to see all the spectaculars in person. I may lay low key after all that excitement for the day...or perhaps I'll go to Thanksgiving with my boyfriend's family (yes, you heard that right! I'll speak on it soon. x). Haven't made up my mind quite yet. I DO know I'm grateful for technologies like skype so I'll get to be in on a little bit of the festivities back home...too bad you can't send pumpkin pie through! Mmm my favorite part of the holiday. Although I'm crazy enough to go see the parade, I haven't hit the level of crazy it takes to go Black Friday shopping in NYC. Sleeping in for me 💤

Holidays are best spent with family and those dear to your heart. It's hard growing older and not always being there, but it's a part of growing up and creating a life of your own. Even if I wasn't in New York, holidays would be different because I'm no longer in school. I'm an "adult" (technically speaking, although it often doesn't feel like it). You can't fight getting older or stop it: it's just something you must learn to accept.

I'm a little late in sharing my Halloween look this year, but I've been SO sick the last week or so. It was my first time being sick away from home without family to take care of me, and it was difficult to say the least. Just knowing someone is there to help is such a huge comfort when you're feeling poorly, so not having that didn't make getting better any easier. I was very sick on Halloween, but I did wear this themed outfit the day of (the pictures were taken the day before!). In the past I've gotten very into Halloween. I love dressing up and coming up with unique DIY costume ideas. Since I'm not in school any longer and don't "go-out" I didn't feel like dressing up in full costume was necessary this year. I still wanted to get in the spooky spirit of the holiday though, so I picked up this skeleton sweatshirt and hair clips at H&M. It was the perfect little twist to wear on Halloween to still participate. Tbh, I only wore the outfit for a few hours though before I was so miserably sick I had to go home from work early, ha.

Blogging has been difficult for me to get around to doing lately. Not in the way because I'm busy, but just that I lack motivation. In the nearly 7 years I've been at it, I log fewer and fewer entries every year. I find that instead of looking forward to getting home and writing a post like I did in high school, I feel annoyed that I can't just be at home and relax how I please without feeling guilty. It's a hard pill to swallow that blogging is not as big of a passion for me as it once was. I got together with a friend and reader last week and she told me she really doesn't read blogs any more, but still reads mine. I asked her why she continued to read mine and she said because I'm real and honest: that's what keeps her coming back. I appreciated her saying that so much, but for me I don't even feel that my writing is of substance any more on here. I used to talk very candidly on my blog about a lot of things. Over the years whether it's been because I've grown up or just become more private, but that candid aspect of the blog has dwindled. I think it's still there...but not as strong and not as free. In a way I feel like I'm unable to talk that freely now because I have responsibilities and I'm not a teenager any longer...on the other hand, I don't feel the need to speak so freely any more. For a very long time I used this space as a way to get my voice heard when I was unhappy, angry, or frustrated. Now that I'm not that angsty any more...there's no reason to rant and rave. I still get angry and upset: yes. But I have a much more controlled way of dealing with those feelings now.

I want to continue blogging because there are still aspects to it that I really enjoy. I have such a back log of photos on this computer because I've still been taking them multiple times a week. I enjoy and love doing that still. It's the editing, the coding, the meaningless writing, promoting, ect ect ect that gets me down and makes me think "this isn't so fun anymore."" I'm not sure what the future of this blog is. I'm coming up on 7 years of blogging on the 11th of November, and truthfully I wasn't sure I would last this long. I think I'll always be making content on the internet in one form or another. Whether that's posting on here, or perhaps moving to a simplier platform like Instagram. I don't know. It's a hard future to predict and not one that I want an answer to right now. I just want to continue doing what feels right until it doesn't feel right any longer.

I’m Lauren. A 23 year old recent transplant to NYC and the blogger behind this nook of the internet. This is the place where I write out my soul, bare my heart, and welcome you to do the same. Grab a warm cup of something and stay awhile. x